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Under pressure to protect vulnerable residents after the Ghost Ship warehouse fire, Oakland officials largely abstained from deploying their most potent tool against problem properties: the red tag. In the three months after the inferno killed 36 people in an illegally converted building — the deadliest California fire in more than a century — inspectors slapped the crimson do-not-enter notice on just four Oakland properties, according to city records obtained by The Chronicle. The reasons? Two neighboring homes were damaged by falling tree limbs during a storm. Another was gutted by a fire. And the fourth was a suspected gambling parlor, boarded up after a law enforcement raid turned up drugs, guns, stolen cars and illegal slot machines, on top of unsafe wiring and a sewage spill. The city’s reluctance to clear residents out of dangerous buildings arose again last week after a massive fire swept through an occupied three-story halfway house on San Pablo Avenue in … [Read more...] about Oakland wary of shutting down problem properties, records show

(NYT28) UNDATED -- Feb. 26, 2002 -- In June, Paula Poundstone found herself at the center of the kind of celebrity scandal that stand-up comics usually thrive on when they happen to other people. She was arrested and charged with several counts of child abuse involving her own adopted and foster children. Now she is taking tentative steps back into the spotlight. An undated photo of Poundstone. (Michael Macor/The San Francisco Chronicle) less (NYT28) UNDATED -- Feb. 26, 2002 -- In June, Paula Poundstone found herself at the center of the kind of celebrity scandal that stand-up comics usually thrive on when they happen to other people. She was ... more Photo: MICHAEL MACOR Photo: MICHAEL MACOR Image 1 of / 8 Caption Close Image 1 of 8 (NYT28) UNDATED -- Feb. 26, 2002 -- In June, Paula … [Read more...] about The funny business / Punch Line celebrates 25 years of ground-breaking comedy, big-name stars and really bad bathrooms

Police examine a stolen RV after ramming it multiple times with an armored vehicle while searching for a Marine deserter who is wanted for questioning in a murder case, in Roanoke, Va. Police examine a stolen RV after ramming it multiple times with an armored vehicle while searching for a Marine deserter who is wanted for questioning in a murder case, in Roanoke, Va. Photo: Don Petersen, AP Photo: Don Petersen, AP Image 1 of / 7 Caption Close Image 1 of 7 Police examine a stolen RV after ramming it multiple times with an armored vehicle while searching for a Marine deserter who is wanted for questioning in a murder case, in Roanoke, Va. Police examine a stolen RV after ramming it multiple times with an armored vehicle while searching for a Marine deserter who is wanted for questioning in a … [Read more...] about Schools reopen in Virginia amid manhunt for Marine deserter

Hello, my name is John Cherwa and welcome to our horse racing newsletter as there is early good news on Princess Dorian.As the debate about horse racing in California—and the country—continues to be on the mind of many, I’ve tried to keep the newsletter as neutral as possible so I can continue to be as objective as possible. You see all the evidence, you hear all the rhetoric. You can make up your mind.But every once in a while there is someone who’s perspective is unique. That’s where I bring in Ferrin Peterson, who is both a jockey and a veterinarian. You can read more about her in this excellent story by Tod Leonard of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Just click here.Earlier this week, Ferrin contacted me and was her hoping the thoughts she shared with Sen. Dianne Feinstein could become public. Didn’t sound like a bad idea. So here’s the letter that was sent to Washington. Advertisement “Dear Honorable Senator Feinstein,“Thank you … [Read more...] about Racing! A letter to Sen. Dianne Feinstein

By Allen Kim, CNN (CNN) — Dog lovers would agree: The lifespan of a dog is far too short. The Dog Aging Project hopes to change that. Researchers are hoping to study a group of 10,000 dogs over the course of 10 years to see whether they can improve the life expectancy of canines and their overall quality of life. Dogs’ lives are six to 12 times shorter than that of humans, according to a study by the Frontiers in Veterinary Science. The researchers, which include teams from the University of Washington School of Medicine and the Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, are being funded by the National Institute of Aging, a division the National Institutes of Health. The researchers’ expertise comes from a wide range of fields and institutions. All together, it will be the largest-ever study on aging in dogs. But their scope expands far beyond: The researchers hope that the information they learn could eventually be … [Read more...] about Wanted: 10,000 Dogs For Largest-Ever Study On Improving Canine Life Expectancy